Gas anchor and sand separator



Patented May 20, 1936 UNITE STATES WILLIAM J'. DUNLAP, F LONGiZBEAGI-I, "CALIEORN-I A GAS ANCHOR ANDS ANID SEPARZATOR Application filed March 13, 1929. -Seria1-'N0.346,591.

This invention relates to a gas anchor and sand separatorwhich has been primarily designed to be used in oil wells beneath the pump. e

: r6 An object of the invention is to provide an improved device adapted to be associated With a deep well pump and which serves to effectively separate the gas from the oil so that the gas will not enter the Working barrel of -10 the pump, interfering with the proper closing of the pump valves.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device which is so constructed that'sand inthe oil is effectively caused to be separated P therefrom before theoil or other liquid enters the pump so that the sand-will notcut thepump valves and their'seats.

A further object of the invention isto'pro- 'vide a gas anchor and sand separatorwhich is of simple and durable construction and which maybe easily and quickly applied to any deep well pump of conventional construction.

With the foregoing and other objects in viewwhich will be made manifest insthe following detailed description and specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference is hadto the accompanying drawings for an illustrative embodiment of the inven- 'tion, wherein Thegas anchor and sand separator comprises 'a'coupling or collar 12 which adjacent its cen- -ter has its interior diameter reduced as inclica'ted at 13. The center of the collar is internally threaded as indicated at Hand both ends of the collar are threaded as indicated'at 15 an 16. The upper threaded portion on the collar provides for attachment to the standing valve seat 10. An outer tube or pipe 17 has its upper end threaded into the lower end of-thecollar 12 so as to be suspended trance.

therefrom. This outer :pipe has an aperture 1-8 formedithereinz'a'dj acentfitsr upper end constituting an entrance to the gas anchor and sand separator. .An intermediate pipe or tube 19'isscrewedzintothe threads 14 on the collar 12.andis suspended tlrereby-withinthe outertube-orpipe i117. This intermediate pipe ortubeis'conneeted-tmthe outer pipe or tube 17 by ,means of diametrically opposite "partitions:20=whichjmayibeformed in any suit- 160 able manner. "The purposeaof' the partitions 20 is'to divide theispace'withinwthe outer-tube or pipe 17abou-tthe intermediate'pipe 19 into two semi-cylindrical chambers extending downwardly from thevcentral portion of the collar 12 'of .the'bottom oiwth-e intermediate tubei19. These chambersare sealed from. each othereatthe -top-sothat the only *passage of communication between the chambers is beneath'thebottom of the intermediate tube 19 and the ibOttOmS 'v'of "the partitions 20. An entrance ismnadeeto themteriorlofrthe intermediate Ytube by an @aperture {21 which -is formed infthe: intermediate 'tubea adjacent its top'and diametrically oppo'site theentrance 18:soas:to be :onthe-other: sideof the-partitionsiQO from"the-sentrance. This aperture '21 is also preferably :made smaller in size than theap'erture 1 8. The-l bottom' of the interinedi'atepipe :19 is'closed as indicatedat22 and on'the bottom ofthe'outer pipe 17-there is fastened: a collar 23 whichserves to fasten a container Qihaving a closed bottom 25 to :the bottom of the outer pipe. The'tgasanchor and -sandseparator is made complete by an :inner pipe-or itube 2fi'which is fastened tothe standing valve 11 and suspended 'ithereby within theintermediate tube. Thistube 26 may be the=tube*whi'ch is conventionally fastened to the-standing valve and suspended aperture 18 but instead will'riseraboutathe working "barrel. In this 'm'anner the gas is effectively separated TfI'OIH the oil at therenrz'lzhe oil which enters :the touterrtube 17 through the aperture 18 is then caused to pass downwardly until it reaches the bottom of the intermediate tube 19 and the bottoms of the partitions 20. After passing beneath the bottoms of the partitions and the intermediate tube the oil can then rise on the other side of the partitions toward the aperture 21. The turning in the direction of flow of the oil beneath the bottoms of the partitions causes the sand which may be present in the oil to drop out of the oil and settle clownwardly into the container 24. Consequently, the oil which rises toward the aperture 21 is relatively free from all particles of sand. When the oil reaches the entrance 21 it enters the intermediate tube and then flows downwardly through the intermediate tube to the bottom of the inner tube 26. At the bottom of the intermediate tube 26 the oil is again caused to reverse its direction of flow so that any particles of sand which might still be with the oil will effectively separate out at this point. It will be found, however, that practically all of the sand will separate from the oil beneath the bottom of the intermediate tube so that very little sand, if any, ever enters the intermediate tube. When the oil enters the inner tube 26 it rises therein and enters the pump to be pumped to the surface. When the pump is pulled for purposes of cleaning or repair the container 24 can be detached from the outer tube or pipe 17 and the sand which has collected therein can be emptied therefrom. From the above described construction it will be appreciated that an improved gas anchor and sand separator is provided which comprises an outer tube and an intermediate tube which are connected to eachother by diametrical partitions so that oil entering the outer tube is caused to flow downwardly therein to pass beneath the partitions then upwardly and finally enter the intermediate tube. On entering the intermediate tube the oil is forced to flow downwardly and then upwardly in the inner tube so that there are three reversals in the direction of flow between the entrance to the gas anchor and sand separator and the standing: valve. The improved construction is very simple and effectively serves to separate gas and sand from the oil before it enters the pump.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims:

I claim:

1. A gas anchor and sand separator comprising an outer tube adapted to be connected to the bottom of a working barrel, an intermediate tube also adapted to be suspended from the working barrel within the outer tube and an inner tube adapted to be suspended from a standing valve within the intermediate tube, said intermediate tube and outer tube having closed bottoms, there being an entrance to the outer tube adjacent its top and an entrance to the intermediate tube adjacent its top arranged on the opposite side of the intermediate tube from the entrance to the outer tube, the entrance to the inner tube being adjacent its bottom, and means forming a partition connecting the intermediate and outer tubes from near the top of the intermediate tube to near its bottom.

2. A gas anchor and sand separator com prising two tubes arranged one within the other, means for connecting the tubes to a working barrel, means forming a partition connecting the tubes from near the top of the inner tube to near its bottom, there being an entrance to one tube on one side of the partition and an entrance to the other tube arranged on the other side of the partition.

3. A gas anchor and sand separator comprising two tubes arranged one within the other, means for connecting the tubes to a working barrel, means forming a partition connecting the tubes from near the top of the inner tube to near its bottom, there being an entrance to one tube on one side of the partition and an entrance to the other tube arranged on the other side of the partition, the entrances being located adjacent the tops of their respective tubes.

4. A gas anchor and sand separator comprising an outer tube adapted to be suspended by a working barrel, an intermediate tube adapted to be suspended within the outer tube, and an inner tube adapted to be suspended within the intermediate tube, said intermediate tube having a closed bottom, means providing a partition connecting the intermediate and outer tubes from near the top of the intermediate tube to near its bottom and dividing the space between the intermediate and outer tubes into chambers which can communicate with each other adjacent the bottom of the intermediate tube, there being entrances to the intermediate and outer tubes arranged on opposite sides of said partition, the entrance to the inner tube being adjacent the bottom thereof.

5. A gas anchor and sand separator comprising an outer tube adapted to be suspended from a working barrel, an intermediate tube adapted to be suspended Within the outer tube, an inner tube adapted to be suspended within the intermediate tube, the intermediate tube having a closed bottom, means providing a partition connecting the intermediate tube with the outer tube from adjacent its top to a point adjacent its bottom, there being entrances in the intermediate and outer tubes on opposite sides of said partition, the entrance to the inner tube being adj acent its bottom.

Intestimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

W. J. DUNLAP. 

